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  1. What We Do
  2. Get Help
  3. Useful Information
  4. Definitions

Useful Definitions

Aged Out Minor

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When an unaccompanied child turns 18 and their application for asylum is still pending they are moved from the care of the state into the Direct Provision system and become known as an “aged out minor”.

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Published: 31st March, 2020

Updated: 13th April, 2020

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Asylum Seeker

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Asylum seekers are people seeking protection as refugees, who are waiting for the authorities to decide on their applications. They are legally entitled to stay in the state until their application for protection is decided. They also have a right to a fair hearing of that application and to an appeal if necessary.

Published: 31st March, 2020

Updated: 20th April, 2020

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Direct Provision

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The system for accommodating people in the asylum process in Ireland. People are accommodated in communal accommodation centres which are run on a for-profit basis by private contractors. The centres provide food, board and for people’s basic needs. In addition to bed and board people receive a weekly cash allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80  per child and a medical card. While in this process people are not entitled to usual social welfare payments, although they may apply for an exceptional needs payment from the local Community Welfare Officer. The weekly allowances and exceptional payments are awarded on a discretionary basis by the Department of Social Protection.

Published: 1st April, 2020

Updated: 20th April, 2020

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Dublin III

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The Dublin III Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 604/2013) establishes a system for determining and identifying the Member State in Europe responsible for the examination of an individual’s asylum application. It sets out a hierarchy of criteria for determining the responsible Member State including factors such as:

  • the presence of family members in particular States
  • the issuing of visas and residence documents
  • and the travel route of a person into Europe

For more information on the impact of the Dublin III Regulation read the Dublin Transnational Network Project ‘Dublin II Regulation: Lives on Hold ‘ report 

Download Report

ECRE Publications:

The Dublin system in 2017: Overview of developments from selected European countries
The Road Out of Dublin: Reform of the Dublin Regulation
Beyond Solidarity: Rights and Reform of Dublin

Published: 3rd April, 2020

Updated: 13th April, 2020

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EU Relocation Programme

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This is a scheme whereby EU members states, including Ireland, were asked to demonstrate solidarity with Greece and Italy by agreeing to relocate a number of people from camps in Greece and Italy to have their applications for asylum processed in their country.

Published: 3rd April, 2020

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EU Resettlement Programme

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This is a scheme whereby EU members states were asked to commit to offer resettlement to their country for programme refugees from places like the Lebanon and Jordan. The people brought to Ireland under this scheme are already recognised as refugees and have been processed by UNHCR before their arrival. Ireland has a long history of accepting resettled refugees under Resettlement Programmes.

Published: 4th April, 2020

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Family Reunification

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People with refugee status or subsidiary protection have the right to apply for certain family members to join them in Ireland.

Read more about family reunification.

Published: 5th April, 2020

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International Protection Appeals Tribunal (formerly the Refugee Appeals Tribunal)

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The Tribunal decides appeals of people whose application for international protection status has not been granted by the International Protection Office. The Tribunal also determines appeals under the Dublin System Regulations.

Published: 6th April, 2020

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International Protection Office (formerly the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner – ORAC)

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The International Protection Office (IPO) is the office responsible for processing and deciding applications for international protection under the International Protection Act 2015. It also considers, as part of a single procedure process, whether applicants should be given permission to remain.

Published: 7th April, 2020

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Permission to remain

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A person may be granted ‘permission to remain’ in Ireland for humanitarian or other compelling reasons. This is at the discretion of the Minister for Justice.  People with permission to remain can live and work in the country, but cannot apply for family reunification.  The conditions attached to ‘permission to remain’ can vary considerably.

Published: 8th April, 2020

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Refugee

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A refugee is anyone who cannot return to their country for fear of persecution for one of the following five reasons:

  1. Race – including ethnicity
  2. Religion – in some countries having no religion is viewed as badly as being of the ‘wrong’ religion
  3. Nationality
  4. Membership of a particular social group – this can include things like membership of a trade union, your gender (i.e. male or female), your sexual orientation
  5. Political opinion – this does not simply mean that you have to be a member of a political party, but if you have any political opinions, or even if people think you do.

Refugees are entitled to be protected against forcible return to their countries of origin.

Published: 9th April, 2020

Updated: 13th April, 2020

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Separated Children / Unaccompanied Children

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Children under 18 years of age, who are outside their country of origin, and separated from both parents and their previous/legal customary primary care giver. Young people who fall into this category are under the care of the Health Service Executive (Tusla) in Ireland.

Published: 10th April, 2020

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Subsidiary Protection

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Under an EU Directive implemented in Ireland in 2006, a status of subsidiary protection was introduced. If a person is from a third country i.e. outside the E.U. or is stateless and does not qualify as a refugee but does face a real risk of suffering serious harm if returned to his or her country of origin, they are eligible for subsidiary protection.

Published: 11th April, 2020

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Smuggling

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Trafficking is not to be confused with people smuggling. Smuggling refers to situations where a person or persons pay someone to be transported to a different country of their own free will. In many cases the person acquiring the services of a smuggler is in a very difficult situation and this may be the only available option to them to access a place of safety or country in which they wish to apply for asylum. In most cases smugglers operate as a business and charge people large sums of money for journeys with no guarantees for their safety or of reaching their intended destination.

Published: 12th April, 2020

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Trafficking

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Trafficking refers to situations where people are moved from place to place or country to country against their will or under duress, by means such as deception, coercion or force, usually for the gains of others, in that the person(s) trafficked will be exploited for financial gain.

Published: 13th April, 2020

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Showing 10 of 15

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  • Why are refugees still coming from Ukraine, is Ireland taking more refugees from Ukraine than other countries?

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Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic

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Published: 27th April, 2020

Updated: 12th June, 2020

Author: Nicholas Henderson

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D01 NX74

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